America is a nation of travelers; we are constantly on the move. For the price of an airline ticket we change the seasons, or for the price of a tank of gasoline we journey to places where things are still being done as they were by our grandfathers. We fly, we drive, we sail across the oceans. We encounter unfamiliar climates and unfamiliar cultures--some of us have even ventured to the moon and back. But wherever we go, we always manage to carry along at least some of the comforts of home; our luggage is brimming with cherished possessions. And regardless of the method of transportation employed, or prolonged exposures to inclement weather, or the careless behavior of porters and baggage handlers, or our own negligence, we arrive at our destinations with one universal expectation--that our luggage will arrive when we do, on time, and in perfect condition.
Because of the small percentage of time during which a traveler has actual physical control of his luggage, the only way to insure its safe arrival at a destination is to start a trip with luggage that is as secure and indestructible as possible. To meet this need, most commercially available luggage is designed to provide relatively waterproof and dustproof service under normal conditions of use. Sturdy locks and hinges guard against accidental opening, and durable exterior finishes resist damaging and unsightly scuffs and scratches. But in spite of the efforts of manufacturers to secure maximum protection for the contents and exterior components of their luggage, one area remains particularly susceptible to physical damage and intrusion by foreign material. That area is the closure--the place where the opposing shells of a piece of luggage meet at a mechanical joint, and where the locks and hinges lie exposed to blows and snags by the many obstacles encountered in typical use.
On a piece of luggage, the closure is the most fragile component. The intricate locks and hinges, and the close fitting closure joint, lie open to repeated abuse. No matter how waterproof or dustproof the closure is engineered and constructed to be, the commonplace practices of overpacking and rough handling are capable of spreading a potentially troublesome gap in the closure seal. Whether sliding down a chute in a busy airline terminal, or lashed atop an automobile in a driving rainstorm, or simply sitting on a shelf in a dusty closet, the closure is a potential source of aggravation to the hurried and often impatient traveler.